NZ577306A - Injector needle shroud - Google Patents

Abstract

A needle shroud for an injector is disclosed. The needle shroud includes a body having a connecting means for releasable connection to the injector when in a first mode of operation. The body has an aperture therethrough, which is shaped and dimensioned to allow a needle to extend through the body when the needle shroud is connected to the injector. The body of the needle shroud has a cavity shaped and dimensioned to receive the needle, whereby the cavity includes a formation shaped and dimensioned to be engageable with a complementary formation of the needle when the needle has been received in the cavity. Rotation of the needle shroud causes rotation of the needle, thereby allowing disengagement of the needle from the injector with the needle housed in the cavity. The needle shroud is reusable with a further the needle. (62) Divided Out of 555327

Description

• l *10057570176* 57 7 3.06 PATENTS FORM NO. 5 Our ref: RC507854NZPR Divisional Application out of NZ 555327 NEW ZEALAND PATE NTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INJECTOR NEEDLE SHROUD We, SIMCRO TECH LIMITED a New Zealand company of 6-8 Latham Court, Hamilton, New Zealand hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 1 301149049 RC507854NZPR 2 INJECTOR NEEDLE SHROUD The present invention relates generally to the field of applicators, and in particular, but not 5 exclusively, to a needle shroud for use with applicators of the type used to inject remedies into animals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In order to optimise yield from farmed animals, in particular pigs and cattle, a number of remedies may be injected into the animal.

The term "remedy" is used herein to include any drug, medicine, remedy, or therapeutic preparation, when in a form suitable for dispensing from an applicator, or more specifically an 15 injector, as the context requires.

Injection of the animal can be difficult, and there exists a danger that the user of the injector may be accidentally jabbed with the needle. Accidents of this type are known as "needle stick".

In extreme cases the user may even receive an accidental dose or partial dose of the remedy. This is particularly undesirable, as some of the remedies used with this type of applicator may have significant adverse effects on the health and wellbeing of a human being.

Some injectors of the prior art attempt to reduce the risk of accidental needle stick by covering 25 the needle of the injector with a retractable shroud. The shroud may be spring loaded so that it retracts automatically as the needle is inserted into the animal.

With injectors, a further potential source of danger to the user is the process of replacing the needle. The needle has a threaded portion which engages a complementary threaded portion 30 provided on the outlet of the injector. The needle is provided with a formation with which a suitable tool, such as a spanner, can be engaged in order to rotate the needle and thereby engage or disengage the needle with the outlet.

The injectors of the prior art may require the needle shroud, if provided, to be retracted or 35 removed during this process, leaving the sharp end of the needle exposed. 301149049 RC507854NZPR 3 OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a needle shroud for an injector which will overcome or ameliorate problems with needle shrouds of the prior art, or at least one which will 5 provide a useful choice.

Other objects of the present invention may become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example only.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a needle shroud for an injector including a body provided with connecting means for releasable connection to the injector when in a first mode of operation, the body having an aperture therethrough shaped 15 and dimensioned to allow a needle to extend through the body when the needle shroud is connected to the injector, the body of the needle shroud provided with a cavity shaped and dimensioned to receive the needle when in use in a second mode of operation, the cavity including a formation shaped and dimensioned to be engageable with a complementary formation of the needle when the needle has been received in the cavity, so that rotation of the 20 needle shroud causes rotation of the needle, thereby allowing disengagement of the needle from the injector with the needle housed in the cavity, wherein the needle shroud is reusable with a further said needle.

Preferably, the cavity is shaped such that a point of the needle does not protrude from the 25 cavity when in use in the second mode of operation.

Preferably, the formation is adapted to receive a square drive needle.

Preferably, the cavity is separate from the aperture in the body.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a needle shroud substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 and Figure 6.

Further aspects of the invention, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will 35 become apparent from the following description given by way of example of possible em bodiments of the invention. 301149049 RC507854NZPR BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 Is a diagrammatic cross-section side view of an applicator configured as an injector, with the first and second linkages in their over-centre locked positions 5 and the needle shroud of the present invention in an extended position.

Figure 1A Is a diagrammatic end view of the needle shroud of the injector of Figure 1.

Figure 2 Is a diagrammatic cross-section side view of the injector of Figure 1, with the first 10 linkage moved away from the over-centre locked position.

Figure 3 Is a diagrammatic cross-section side view of the injector of Figure 1, with the first linkage in a collapsed position, the needle shroud in the retracted position and the second linkage moved away from the over-centre locked position.

Figure 4 Is a diagrammatic cross-section side view of the injector of Figure 1 with both linkages in their collapsed positions, and the handles moved together.

Figure 5 Is a perspective view of a more preferred embodiment of the first and second 20 hinged linkages, both in an over-centre locked position.

Figure 6 Is an exploded diagrammatic cross-section side view of the injector of Figure 1 showing the needle shroud component in position for use in removing the needle from the injector.

BEST MODES FOR PERFORMING THE INVENTION Referring first to Figure 1, an applicator is shown. The applicator is configured as an injector, and is generally referenced 100.

The injector 100 has a body 1 which is provided with a first handle 2. The handle 2 is typically formed as an integral component with the body 1. The body is provided with a cylinder or barrel 3 within which a plunger 3a is reciprocable in order to move fluid from an inlet 4 to an outlet 5 of the injector 100. The plunger is actuated by relative movement of the first handle 2 35 towards the second handle 6, which causes a remedy in the barrel 3 to move through the outlet 5 and hence through a needle 7 which is attached to the outlet 5. | 2SHAYm I RlCEjy £ j-J 301149049 RCS07854NZPR A needle shroud 8 is connected to the body 1 so as to be slideable between the extended position shown in Figure 1, and the retracted position shown in Figures 3 and 4. The needle shroud 8 is preferably biased towards the extended position by a suitable biasing means such 5 as a spring 9 positioned between the needle shroud 8 and the body 1.

In order to reduce the risk of a user accidentally injuring themselves on the needle 7, a mechanism is provided to lock the needle shroud 8 in the extended position when the injector 100 is not in use.

A linkage 10 is rotatably connected to the needle shroud 8 at a first end 11 and to the first handle 2 at a second end 12. The linkage 10 is provided with a hinge 13 between the first and second ends which divides the linkage into a first segment 10a connected to the shroud 8 and a second segment 10b connected to the first handle 2.

With the needle shroud 8 in the extended position, a biasing means such as a torsion spring 14 biases the linkage 10 towards an over-centre locked position, as illustrated in Figure 1. Any suitable means of locking the linkage when it is in this position may be used, but in a preferred embodiment the first segment 10a of the linkage 10 is provided with a stop portion 15, best 20 seen in Figure 2. The stop portion 15 engages a portion of the second segment 10b and prevents the hinge 13 from rotating so as to move the hinge 13 any further away from a notional axis A which extends between the centres of the rotatable connections at the first and second ends of the linkage 10. With the linkage 10 in the over-centre locked position the linkage 10 acts as a substantially rigid strut when subject to a force aligned with the notional 25 axis A. The linkage 10 therefore prevents the needle shroud 8 from moving away from its extended position when in the over-centre locked position.

When the user requires the needle shroud 8 to be moved to the retracted position, a linkage unlocking means moves the linkage 10 against the action of the biasing means 14 so that the 30 hinge 13 is on the opposite side of the notional axis A, as shown in Figure 2. In a preferred embodiment the linkage unlocking means is a trigger 16 which is slideably connected to the first handle 2 and is positioned so as to move into engagement with the linkage 10 when operated by the user, thereby moving the hinge 13 away from the locked position. However, other suitable means of moving the linkage 10 away from the over-centre locked position will be 35 apparent to those skilled in the art.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF MZ. 2 9 may 2009 RECEIVED 301149043 RC507854NZPR 6 With the linkage 10 in the position shown in Figure 2 the needle shroud 8 can be retracted to the position shown in Figure 3, for example as the needle 7 is inserted into the subject animal.

Referring next to Figures 1 and 2, in a preferred embodiment a second hinged linkage 17 is 5 provided between the first handle 2 and second handle 6. The second linkage 17 is rotatably connected at a first end 18 to the first handle 2 and at a second, opposite end 19 to the second handle 6.

The second linkage 17 is biased towards the over-centre locked position shown in Figures 1 10 and 2 by a suitable biasing means such as a torsion spring 20. A first segment 17a of the second linkage 17 is provided with a stop portion 21 which engages a suitable portion of a second segment 17b of the linkage 17, and prevents the hinge 22 from rotating so as to move the hinge 22 any further away from a notional axis B which extends between the centres of the rotatable connections at the first and second ends of the linkage 17. With the second linkage 15 17 in the over-centre locked position shown in Figures 1 and 2 the second linkage 17 is substantially rigid to forces aligned with axis B, and the first handle 2 and second handle 6 cannot be moved together. In this way the chances of accidental dispensing of the remedy are greatly reduced.

In order to unlock the handles 2, 6, the needle shroud 8 must be moved to the fully retracted position shown in Figure 3. When the needle shroud 8 reaches the fully retracted position a second linkage unlocking portion of the first linkage 10, for example the stop portion 15, engages the second linkage 17 and moves it from the over-centre locked position shown in Figures 1 and 2, to the unlocked position shown in Figure 3.

The first linkage 10 and second linkage 17 may have a pivot axis in common, as seen in the figures. This is not essential, but it does assist in positioning the linkages 10,17 so that the first linkage 10 can be used to unlock the second linkage 17 when the first linkage 10 moves to the collapsed position.

With the second linkage 17 in the unlocked position the handles 2, 6 can be moved together to the position shown in Figure 4, thereby delivering a dose of the remedy. A dosage control means may be provided to allow adjustment of the dose delivered. A suitable dosage control means is described in the applicant's New Zealand patent No. 521084, the contents of which 35 are herein included by reference. r-—■—.— i 2 9 mar 2009 i IMce_(vje D' 301149049 RC507854NZPR 7 Once the dose or remedy has been delivered, the needle 7 is withdrawn from the animal and the handles 2, 6 are allowed to move apart under the action of a suitable biasing means such as a torsion spring 23, thereby drawing a new dose of the remedy from a suitable source through the inlet 4 and into the barrel 3. Biasing means 9 move the needle shroud 8 back to 5 the extended position, and biasing means 14 and 20 move the linkages 10,17 back to their over-centre locked positions. The injector 100 is therefore reset and ready to dispense a further dose.

In some embodiments the over-centre action of the linkage 17 may mean that the linkage 17 10 determines the position of the plunger when in the reset position, rather than the plunger returning to a hard stop. This may lead to small deviations in the dose delivered by the applicator. To prevent this, in a preferred embodiment the connection between the end 19 of the second linkage 17 and the second handle 6 may allow a small amount of relative movement. In some embodiments an additional linkage (not shown) may be provided between 15 the end 19 and the second handle 6 to allow for this movement.

A more preferred method of allowing relative movement is described with reference to the preferred embodiment of the first and second linkages shown in Figure 5, with similar reference numerals indicating similar features as in the other figures. In this embodiment the end 19 of 20 the second linkage 17 is provided with an elongate or slotted aperture 26 within which a pin 27 is provided. The pin 27 is connected to the second handle. The elongate or slotted aperture 26 allows a small amount of sliding movement between handle and the second linkage 17 in addition to allowing rotational movement. Other variations of this system will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example the second linkage 17 may be provided with projecting 25 pins or similar (not shown) which engage with slots provided in the second handle. In some embodiments a similar system may be used at the opposite end of the second linkage. In other embodiments the aperture may simply be oversized relative to the pin, rather than slotted.

In the embodiment of the linkages shown in Figure 5, the stop portion 15 is connected to the 30 second segment 10b of the first linkage 10, rather than to the first segment 10a as shown in the embodiment shown in Figures 1-4. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the second segment 10b of the first linkage is provided with means to unlock the second segment which includes at least one abutment portion 28 which abuts an abutment portion 29 provided on the first segment 17a of the second linkage 17 when the first linkage 10 is collapsed. This abutment 35 causes the second linkage 17 to move away from its over-centre locked position to its collapsed position. 2 9 may 2009 RECEI VFnj 301149049 RC507854NZPR 8 While the injector has been described with reference to an embodiment in which the dose is applied by squeezing the handles 2, 6 together to manually actuate a plunger, those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some other embodiments the injector may be adapted so that the 5 plunger is actuated by an alternative means, such as a pressurised gas. In a still further alternative embodiment the remedy may be supplied to the inlet under pressure and the movement of the handles may actuate a valve which allows the remedy to flow from the inlet to the outlet. Suitable means for controlling the volume of remedy delivered may be required with this embodiment.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in an alternative embodiment of the injector (not shown) the first linkage 10 may be omitted, and some other means of locking the needle shroud may be provided, if required. In these embodiments the second linkage 17 may be unlocked by some other suitable means such as, for example, a trigger. This method of locking 15 the flow control means may also be used with dispensing means other than injectors, for example pour on applicators and the like.

In a further embodiment (not shown) the applicator may be provided with the first linkage 10, but the second linkage 17 may be omitted. This configuration may be useful where the 20 applicator has a particularly delicate application means, such as a needle or a delicate nozzle, but where the remedy being dispensed is not harmful to humans.

Referring next to Figures 1,1a and in particular Figure 6, the needle shroud 8 is provided with means for assisting with the removal of the needle 7.

In this embodiment the needle shroud 8 is detachable from the body of the injector 100. In addition to the aperture 24 in the body 25 of the shroud 8, through which the needle 7 can extend when the shroud 8 is attached to the injector 100, the shroud 8 is also provided with a cavity 30 shaped and dimensioned to receive the needle 7 when the user wishes to remove the 30 needle 7 from the injector 100.

The cavity 30 has a formation 31, best seen in Figure 1 A, preferably provided at or adjacent the mouth 32 of the cavity 30, which is shaped and dimensioned to engage a complementary formation 33 of the needle 7. In a preferred embodiment the formation may be a square drive 35 formation as shown in Figure 1A. 301149049 RC507S54NZPR 9 The provision of the cavity 30 and formation 31 allows the point of the needle 7 to be covered when the needle 7 is removed from the injector 100. The cavity mouth 32 may be provided at either end of the body of the shroud 8. In some embodiments (not shown) the cavity may extend through the body of the shroud 8, but it is preferred that the cavity is shaped so that the 5 needle point 34 can not protrude from the cavity 30.

Some needles for use with such injectors are supplied in a two-part plastic sheath (not shown). One part of the sheath has a socket for the needle hub and the needle sits into the socket with the needle cannula protruding into the sheath so that the sharp end of needle is protected. The 10 sheath can be held and used as a tool to attach the needle to the luer lock of an injector.

The aperture 24 in the needle shroud 8 of the present invention is preferably dimensioned to allow such a sheath to be inserted through the front of the shroud so that the needles can be fitted and removed without having to remove the shroud 8 from the injector 100.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the needle shroud 8 described above may be used with other injectors of the prior art, but when used in association with the injector 100 described above there is provided an injector which allows a user to inject a remedy into an animal, and to change a needle of the injector, with minimal risk of needle stick or of accidental delivery of the 20 remedy into the user.

While the applicator shown in the figures is adapted for use with a remote supply of remedy, for example from a backpack, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention may also be used with applicators which are provided with a bottle mount on which a bottle containing the 25 remedy may be mounted. Still other embodiments may be loaded with a cartridge or vial.

Where in the foregoing description, reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.

Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

""Eoi^VSgERTY 2 s may am RECElven 301149049 RC507854NZPR

Claims (6)

1. A needle shroud for an injector including a body provided with connecting means for 5 releasable connection to the injector when in a first mode of operation, the body having an aperture therethrough shaped and dimensioned to allow a needle to extend through the body when the needle shroud is connected to the injector, the body of the needle shroud provided with a cavity shaped and dimensioned to receive the needle when in use in a second mode of operation, the cavity including a 10 formation shaped and dimensioned to be engageable with a complementary formation of the needle when the needle has been received in the cavity, so that rotation of the needle shroud causes rotation of the needle, thereby allowing disengagement of the needle from the injector with the needle housed in the cavity, wherein the needle shroud is reusable with a further said needle. 15

2. The needle shroud of claim 1 wherein the cavity is shaped such that a point of the needle does not protrude from the cavity when in use in the second mode of operation. 20

3. The needle shroud of claim 1 or 2, wherein the formation is adapted to receive a square drive needle.

4. The needle shroud of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the formation is provided at or adjacent a mouth of the cavity. 25

5. The needle shroud of any one of the preceding claims wherein the cavity is separate from the aperture in the body.

6. A needle shroud substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 30 and Figure 6.